September 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 19

Aerial view of The Parklands'
Beckley Creek Park, overlooking
the Egg Lawn and the Humana
Grand Allée.

Public & Private Partnerships
A project the size of The Parklands
could not be achieved without the dedicated commitment and leadership of
public and private organizations and
community leaders to actualize and operate the park. 21st Century Parks strategically partnered with the land trust,
Future Fund and Louisville Metro Parks
to secure the land for the park. The cost
of park development and land acquisitions for The Parklands
totaled $125 million and was paid for by a capital campaign.
More than $60 million was donated by private individuals, corporations and foundations with the rest of the funding coming
from the public sector. These included a federal transportation
appropriation secured by Sen. Mitch McConnell for park development, the Commonwealth of Kentucky's contribution for
park infrastructure and Louisville Metro Government's contribution for The Parklands' first playground. A grant from the
Helmsley Charitable Trust is funding habitat restoration and
management of natural areas, which act as an educational resource for park users.
Partnerships were also established with various community organizations and privately operated vendors to offer programming and an enhanced park experience to visitors. Annual operations of The Parklands are funded by memberships
and private donations, as well as an endowment established
and managed by 21st Century Parks. Together, this public/
private partnership has assumed the charge of ensuring that
the vision for The Parklands materialized and that it plays a
significant role in the daily lives of all Louisville residents for
generations to come.
Design Intent and Development
of a " Florknacular "
Developed largely from scratch utilizing a combination of farmland, undevelopable slopes and wet bottomlands, the planning
and design firm of WRT devised three strategies to organize
The Parklands: framework, connectivity and theater. The framework shapes the spatial context of the park, including preservation and restoration of the forest, meadows, wetlands and watercourses. The connectivity component includes Floyds Fork
itself, the park roadways, the Louisville Loop, the bridges and

Ted Wathen

als for developing the areas adjacent to
The Parklands, illustrating the impact
that parks can have as city-shaping
generators.

other paths that provide access through an immersive natural
experience. The theatrical component includes development
with an ecological and recreational focus, providing distinctive
places for people to gather and play.
WRT, along with local architect Bravura, developed a formal

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Parks & Recreation

17
September 2017 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2017 - Parks & Recreation
